සභාපති

ලක්‍ෂ්මන් අබේසේකර මහතා, FCA, FMAAT, MBA (Sri J.)

lucky@janrichlk.com   dirrub@sltnet.lk

An entrepreneurial leader, willing to contribute on Sustainable Governance, Strategic Planning and Plan Implementation, Risk Management and Compliance.

Position Held/ Holding

Public quoted companies

• Sanasa Development Bank PLC (SDB Bank) as Director, Senior Director and Chairman from March 2013 to 30 April 2022. Chaired Board Audit, Strategic and Integrated Risk Management committees.
• Serving as a non-executive independent Director of People’s Insurance PLC, appointment from October 2015, chairing Audit Committee and involved with strategy formulation, performance management, governance, risk management, compliance and capacity building.

Chairman CA SME Task Force set up by CA Sri Lanka – from November 2020 up to now.

Governing Council member - AAT Sri Lanka. Served over 10 years. Capacity building in Accounting, Finance and Management in SME sector.

Other – Serving as a non-executive Director at Janrich Foods Ltd, A BOI company.

Leadership & Contribution to Society

Past President of the Alumni of Postgraduate Institute of Management, University of Sri J.

Served various committees of CA Sri Lanka including Leadership & Entrepreneurship Development and Membership Development, SME Development.

Resource person in Finance, Accounting and Management – PIM Alumni, management development programme, CA SME development programs, AAT Business School, SLIIIT Campus.

Experience and Exposure

Articled at Ford Rhords Thornton & Co. (KMPG). Over 35 years of management experience in both public and private sector including multinational companies. Work experience in leading organizations like Mahaweli Development Authority, Ceylon Shipping Corporation, AMW PLC, Lankem Ceylon PLC, Hoechst (Ceylon) Limited, a subsidiary of the German Multinational Company, Emerchemie NB (Ceylon) Limited, a leading pharmaceutical agency house in Sri Lanka.

Overseas Training & Development

Attended leadership development program in Japan organized by JASTECA.

Attended World Congress of Accountants in Rome, Italy organized by IFAC.

Participated “Corporate Governance and Director’s Duties Excellence” training program in Singapore by Quest masterclass.

Participated in Productivity Management Program in Taiwan sponsored by Productivity Secretariat, Colombo Sri Lanka.

වැඩබලන අධ්‍යක්ෂ

Susantha Siriwardene, PhD

dirrri@sltnet.lk   director@rrisl.gov.lk   ddrt.rrisl@gmail.com

Dr. Susantha Siriwardena excelled from St. Servatius College, Matara and completed his B.Sc. Hons degree at the University of Ruhuna in 1986 and Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Technology at the University of Colombo in 1991. He joined the Raw Rubber Process Development and Chemical Engineering Department of the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka as an Assistant Rubber Chemist in 1991. Having completed Masters in Engineering from the University of Melbourne, Australia, he was promoted to the Senior Research Officer level. He obtained his PhD in 2003 from the University of Sains Malaysia, Malaysia in the field of polymer composites. He was promoted to the grade of Principal Research Officer and subsequently appointed as the Head of the same department in 2005 and held the position for nine years until he was appointed as the Deputy Director Research (Technology) in 2014. He was appointed as the Actg. Director of the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka with effect from 01st January, 2023.

He has more than thirty years of experience on Research and Development work on processing of all types of raw rubber grades. Development and implementation of single day drying system for drying of sheet rubber was a major breakthrough he made with his technical team in the field of rubber drying in Sri Lanka for which the team was awarded the National Science & Technology “the best scientist of the year” award in 2008 in the category of Development and Adaptation of Technology for SME Sector. Also, he was also able to introduce a simple, cost effective and efficient drying system for drying of skim and brown crepe rubber. He won the PRISL Merit Award in 2014 for the significant contribution made towards the development and growth of the polymer industry in Sri Lanka.

He has more than 70 publications in international refereed journals, conferences and local journals for his credit. He serves as a reviewer for international and local publications as well as an evaluator for theses submitted for postgraduate degrees in the field of rubber technology and as a committee member in many professional organizations and advisory boards related to the rubber sector. He has been a project supervisor for many undergraduate and graduate students of various local universities. Also, he serves as a visiting lecturer for undergraduate and postgraduate level rubber technology courses conducted by several national universities and professional institutions.

වැඩබලන අතිරේක අධ්‍යක්ෂ

Mrs. D.G. Edirisinghe, PhD

adrrisl@sltnet.lk   ad@rrisl.gov.lk   dilharae@yahoo.com

Mrs. Dilhara Edirisinghe, B.Sc.(Physical Science-First Class Honours, University of Colombo, SL), M.Sc.(Polymer Science & Technology, USJP, SL), M.Phil.(Polymer Technology, Loughborough University of Technology, UK), Ph.D. (Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Moratuwa, SL), MPRI, Acting Additional Director of the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka (RRISL) serves also as the Head of the Rubber Technology & Development Department, RRISL. She has thirty three years of research experience in the field of “Rubber Technology”. Her current research areas include development of latex / dry rubber based composites of natural and synthetic rubbers for special applications, green rubber composites with plant-based materials, latex / dry rubber based cellular rubber products, rubber composites with nano materials and environmental friendly, cost effective modification processes for latex and dry rubber based compound / product waste. She has more than 100 international and local publications, 4 patents, one industrial design and 11 awards to her credit. She won the National Science & Technology Award in 2010 in the category “Development of eco material / eco-friendly processes for the industry”, Presidential Award in 2012 for the best invention in the “Environment” category, PRISL Merit Award in 2015 for the significant contribution made towards the development and growth of the polymer industry in Sri Lanka, Technology Award of Excellence from the National Science Foundation in 2016, Presidential Merit Award in the “Chemistry” category in 2018 and Award for “Scientific Excellence” in the Rubber Sector during 2016-2018. She serves as a committee member of several advisory committees of government organizations. Also, she has served as a visiting lecturer and currently serving as a research supervisor, research reviewer for diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate courses conducted by several national universities and professional institutions.

වැඩබලන නියෝජ්‍ය අධ්‍යක්ෂ පර්යේෂණ (ජීව)

Mrs S P Withanage, PhD

ddrb@rrisl.gov.lk   ddrbrrisl@gmail.com   pamuditharama@yahoo.co.uk

Mrs. S.P. Withanage, B.Sc. (Agri.) Honours (Second Class Upper Division) from University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, M.Sc. Honours (First Class) in Genetics and Biotechnology from Punjab Agricultural University, India., Ph.D. (First Class) in Genetic Engineering and Molecular Sciences from University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia. She is the Acting Deputy Director of the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka (RRISL) and currently holds the position of the Head, Genetics and Plant Breeding Department, RRISL. She won the Silver Medal in International Bio Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (MOSTI) (2009) and the Gold Medal at the Exhibition of Invention, Research, and Innovation (PRPI 2009): University Putra Malaysia. She has more than 60 international and local publications. She serves as a visiting lecturer and has supervised around 40 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Also, she serves as a committee member and the Chairperson of several national committees of government organizations and as the country representative of the Plant Breeding Group of the International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB). She has gained twenty five years of research experience in the genetic improvement of Hevea planting material. Her current research interests focus on genetic diversity expansion of the breeding pool incorporating non-Wickham genetics, screening of stress tolerance and acceleration of the breeding procedure using conventional and molecular strategies.

නියෝජ්‍ය අධ්‍යක්ෂ පර්යේෂණ (තාක්ෂණ)

Susantha Siriwardene, PhD

ddrt.rrisl[at]gmail.com

Dr. Susantha Siriwardena excelled from St. Servatius College, Matara and completed his B.Sc. Hons degree at the University of Ruhuna in 1986 and Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Technology at the University of Colombo in 1991. He joined the Raw Rubber Process Development and Chemical Engineering Department of the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka as an Assistant Rubber Chemist in 1991. Having completed Masters in Engineering from the University of Melbourne, Australia, he was promoted to the Senior Research Officer level. He obtained his PhD in 2003 from the University of Sains Malaysia, Malaysia in the field of polymer composites. He was promoted to the grade of Principal Research Officer and subsequently appointed as the Head of the same department in 2005 and held the position for nine years until he was appointed as the Deputy Director Research (Technology) in 2014.

He has more than thirty years of experience on Research and Development work on processing of all types of raw rubber grades. Development and implementation of single day drying system for drying of sheet rubber was a major breakthrough he made with his technical team in the field of rubber drying in Sri Lanka for which the team was awarded the National Science & Technology “the best scientist of the year” award in 2008 in the category of Development and Adaptation of Technology for SME Sector. Also, he was also able to introduce a simple, cost effective and efficient drying system for drying of skim and brown crepe rubber. He won the PRISL Merit Award in 2014 for the significant contribution made towards the development and growth of the polymer industry in Sri Lanka.

He has more than 70 publications in international refereed journals, conferences and local journals for his credit. He serves as a reviewer for international and local publications as well as an evaluator for theses submitted for postgraduate degrees in the field of rubber technology and as a committee member in many professional organizations and advisory boards related to the rubber sector. He has been a project supervisor for many undergraduate and graduate students of various local universities. Also, he serves as a visiting lecturer for undergraduate and postgraduate level rubber technology courses conducted by several national universities and professional institutions.